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Special Collections & Archives: Transy History: Presidents

Presidents, Principals, Headmasters, etc.

Transylvania Seminary 1780 – 1798

1785-86 James Mitchell, Head Master

1788-89 Elias Jones, Head Master

1789-91 Isaac Wilson, Head Master


portrait painting of James Moore

1791-93 James Moore, Head Master

1793-94 James Moore, Acting President


pencil sketch of Harry Toumlin

1794-96 Harry Toulmin, First Official President


1796-99 James Moore, President

Transylvania University 1799 – 1858

portrait painting of James Moore

1799-1804 James Moore, President


portrait painting of James Blythe

1804-1818 James Blythe, Acting President


portrait painting of Horace Holley

1818-1827 Horace Holley, President
Article on Holley from Kentucky Encyclopedia


pencil sketch of Alva Woods

1828-1831 Alva Woods, President


1831-1833 John [Mansfield] Lutz, Acting President

1833-1834 Benjamin Orr Peers, Acting President

1834-1835 John [Mansfield] Lutz, Acting President


pencil drawing of Thomas Coit

1835-1837 Thomas Coit, President


1838-1839 Louis Marshall, President


pencil drawing of Robert Davidson

1840-1842 Robert Davidson, President


portrait painting of Henry Bascom

1842-1849 Henry B. Bascom, President


1849-1856 James B. Dodd, President


pencil drawing of Lewis Warner Green

1856-1858 Lewis Warner Green, President

Transylvania Preparatory School (High School) 1858 – 1865

Transylvania Preparatory School (High School)  1858 – 1865


1858-1861  Abraham Drake, Principal

1861-1865   James Kennedy Patterson, Principal


Kentucky University at Harrodsburg  1859-1864

1859-1865  Robert Milligan, President

Kentucky University 1865-1908

pencil drawing of John Bryan Bowman

1865-1878  John Bryan Bowman, Regent
Article from Kentucky Encyclopedia


portrait painting of Henry Hall White

1878-1880  Henry Hall White, President


pencil drawing of Charles Louis Loos

1880-1897  Charles Louis Loos, President


pencil drawing of Reuben Lin Cave

1897-1900  Reuben L. Cave, President


1900-1901  Alexander Reed Milligan, Acting President


pencil drawing of Burris Jenkins

1901-1906  Burris A. Jenkins, President


1906-1908  Thomas Benton McCartney, Acting President

Transylvania University 1908-present (Transylvania College was used 1915-1969)

portrait painting of Richard Crossfield

1908-1921 Richard Henry Crossfield, President


1921-1922 Thomas Benton McCartney, Acting President


pencil drawing of Andrew Harmon

1922-1928 Andrew Davidson Harmon, President


1928-1929 Thomas Benton McCartney, Acting President


1929-1930 Elmer Grant Campbell, Acting President


portrait painting of Arthur Braden

1930-1938 Arthur Braden, President


pencil drawing of Richard Crossfield

1938-1939 Richard Henry Crossfield, Interim President


pencil drawing of Raymond McClain

1939-1943 Raymond F. McLain, President


1943-1945 Leland A. Brown, Acting President


portrait painting of Raymond McClain by Victor Hammer

1946-1951 Raymond F. McLain, President


portrait painting of Frank Rose by Victor Hammer

1951-1957 Frank A. Rose, President


pencil drawing of Irvin Lunger by Joe Petro

1958-1976 Irvin E. Lunger, President


pencil drawing of William Kelly by Joe Petro

1976-1981 William W. Kelly, President


1981-1982 Irvin E. Lunger, Interim President


pencil drawing of David Brown by Joe Petro

1982-1983 David G. Brown, President


portrait painting of Dr. Shearer by Robert Kuester

1983-2010 Charles L. Shearer, President


portrait painting of R. Owen Williams by Robert Kuester

8/1/2010-6/30/2014 R. Owen Williams, President


photograph of Seamus Carey

7/1/2014-8/2/2019 Seamus Carey, President


photo of Interim President John N. Williams

8/15/2019-6/30/2020 John N. Williams, Interim President


picture of President Brien Lewis

7/1/2020-present Brien Lewis, President